


The Purpule Bench

by WhereDoesTheTimeGo



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Bisexual Lance (Voltron), Drinking, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Female Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gay Keith (Voltron), Hunk is just shook, M/M, Mutual Pining, POV Alternating, Pining Keith (Voltron), There's a party, Underage Drinking, Vomiting, and too much fluff, basically just a bit of emotional langst/comfort, everyone has a POV cause i love them, god im so cheesy, i love pidge, pidge is actually cupid, things happen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-19
Updated: 2018-01-19
Packaged: 2019-03-06 17:59:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,355
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13416597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhereDoesTheTimeGo/pseuds/WhereDoesTheTimeGo
Summary: Those few seconds entailed a lot of different Lance expressions, muffled by sleepiness but still there. He opened his mouth and closed it again, frowned, and even moved his arm a little, the one that still rested behind Keith's shoulders.It was when he spoke, so soft that it resembled a breath, at the same time his other arm shifted to hug him closer, that Keith shivered in surprise."Please don't hate me Keith."----Or: The Voltron team attends a party and Lots Of Things happen on a weird purple bench.





	The Purpule Bench

**Author's Note:**

> Ok, this is the first fic I upload here and the actual first fanfiction I've written in English. I'm not a native speaker, so I accept and welcome constructive criticism on my lexis, grammar or whatever.
> 
> It got longer than I anticipated, but I honestly really like the outcome. So if you guys like it, i'd love to hear it too.
> 
> Please enjoy :)

"Oh, Lance... you're drunk, aren't you?"

"Hell yeeeeeah I'm drunk... Hunk." the cuban boy reconsidered his words. "That was a rhyme! Fuck, I'm so awesome..."

Keith blinked twice. Eyed Lance, then Hunk. Blinked again.

"Drunk?" he spilled, the word as foreing to him as the planet they were standing on.

Hunk shruged.

"Yeah, we found something similar to Earth's beer near the main table with the... the weird orange thingys... fruits... Or whatever they are."

"And It's amaazing man!" Lance added as he jumped to express his enthusiasm "Bless whoever invented beer... Or whatever this is. D'you want some?"

The beverage was offered to him and Keith's brain shortcuted once more.

"I umm... I mean... are we even allowed to drink this? Does Shiro know? Is it safe?"

Hunk eyed the glass he holded, seemingly reconsidering all his life choices, as if he'd come to face the hardest decision of them all. That made Keith wander if maybe he too was drunk. Lance, however, went in for another approach.

"Oh come on buddy, you're not a teller, are you? We're just having fun! You don't have to drink any of you don't want to, mullet man."

Keith sighed.

"Fine, I won't tell anyone." he said and Lance smiled. "But if anything happens, I was never in the middle of this, you got me?"

The caramel-skinned boy nodded, with sparkling eyes and a completely mind-melting smile, and threw an arm over Keith's shoulders. He shivered violently as Lance's breath hit his ear, words slipping off the boy's lips like a fuck ass nightmare and a blessing all at once.

"Wanna dance?"

Ok. Ok. Let's start from the beginning, shall we? Distress call, Zarkon is taking advantage of another altruistic, victim-like little planet, let's form Voltron! And save the day! Done. All done. The paladins are seen as heroes, Lance flirts with if not another "cute" girl, Allura gives a marvellous join-the-rebelion speech and Voltron has yet one more ally. Fine. All fine. But wait. There's this huge, banquet-looking celebration the locals are planing as a thanking to their saviours, and they are expected to attend.

Not only had Keith had some awkward time at said party with a local girl, who wanted to touch his armour at all costs, but he had also stumbled upon a lot of not-good-weird-looking meals. To add some stress into the picture, as if it wasn't already flooded in it, some of his friends were intoxicated with what showed signs of being alcohol.

Oh, this was not gonna end well. So when Lance asked him if he wanted to dance, he thought he'd had enough. Enough of this suffering. He was tired from almost dying, tired from social anxiety, and tired from behaving as expected to. He fucking fled, okay? What else could have he done? He escaped the situation with a curse and a push, as he'd normally do.

But he hadn't expected to regret it. He wasn't aware, at the time, of what was to come next. Not only did he feel like pure shit when he saw Lance's face, but also his stomach shrinked when he witnessed how upset the boy seemed.

Keith wasn't able to breath then, and even less say sorry, so he just stood there.

He was sitting now. On a bench near the pond. Lance and Hunk were gone, off to somewhere they felt comfortable. Off with who would not just... reject them. Well not Hunk but Lance; Keith had hurt him somehow. He simply could not get the paladin's wounded eyes to leave his mind and it was eating him alive. Because...

Pidge came into his range of vision and he sighed once more, forcing himself out of the issue with Lance for at least two minutes.

The girl appeared to notice something was up the moment she stepped beside him.

"How's mr. I'd die before anyone notices I'm able to have fun doing?"

He huffed.

"I'm fine, just not... into parties." he tryed.

This seemed to be enough for Pidge.

"Yeah me neither" the girl agreed as she sat in the bench with him. "Still, I do know how to appreciate the stupidness of drunk Lance. This boy has no filter whatsoever, do you wanna watch this amazing video I took?"

But Keith wasn't in the mood. And althow he answered as cheerfully as he could, all in all, the video would probably be hilarious, he had always been see-throw when it came to Pidge. The girl stopped in her tracks and locked the device into her pocket once again.

"Dude, you really look like shit" She muttered, kindly enough. "Y'now you should say something if it's important. Speaking for myself, I know how to keep a secret."

It was a gentle offer. Too kindhearted not to be seriously considered. It was true, as well, she really could keep a secret.

The silence between him and Pidge felt strangely comfortable. It had always been that way. The moment he thought of that, he understood; he had never felt judged by her, not even when they found out he was Galra, not even now. So he decided, half guided by his impulses, that sharing this with her would not be a problem.

"It's nothing important." he grumbled "It's even stupid, I mean..." the look Pidge sent him gave the impression that she was expecting him to continue, but at the same time, in the verge of breaking a laugh.

He sighed and smirked.

"I don't know why, ok? Not even how, but I think I... hurt Lance? In some way...? Maybe?"

The green paladin's eyebrows raised in mild surprise.

"Hurt as in... punch or-"

"No, no. I mean, I wouldn't be upset about punching Lance, he'd probably deserve it."

"Fair enough."

"I just..." Keith sighed "he asked me if I wanted to dance, ok?" God he hoped he wasn't blushing. By the look on Pidge's face, he might as well be on fire. She'd laugh about it.

"I don't understand where the upsetting part is..."

Keith new she was mocking him but anyways kept going.

"The problem is that I... I bailed out. And the look on his face when I rejected him, Pidge, it might have been the alcohol but he looked hurt."

Silence.

"Now I just can't get that look out of my head."

At first Keith thought the girl was mad at him. She was rarely quiet. But when he looked her way it was made more than visible how the engine of her brain had started working. Horrifyingly fast. He was coming to regret telling her anything when Pidge stood up.

In a clearly premedited move, and as stiff as a robot, she mumbled.

"I'm gonna go talk to Shiro and the guys, care to join me?"

Keith slowly nodded.

"Um... sure? Yeah..."

She grabbed his forearm and practically dragged him into the crowd.

...

"Hunk... hey buddy, HUNK!!"

He felt someone pulling of his sleeve and jumped at the sight of Pidge.

"Pidgeon!! How you doin' there small fella?" the yellow paladin said as he rubbed her hair.

Pidge's frown was weirdly blurry, so Hunk was forced to squint her way. Soon enough, he came to the conclusion that it would be better to listen to the Paladin insted of just staring at her face. Not that he wanted to be rude, or anything.

"And then Keith told me... wait Hunk, are you listening?"

"Was not, sorry."

Her frown deepened.

"Are you drunk too?"

"I think I'm... M'yeah... M'drunk..."

"Fuck..."

"Wow watch your language, girl! Ya kiss your mom with that same mouth?"

A surprised silence was followed by an outburst of laughter, an explosion of sound that came from Pidge's mouth. He didn't register he was laughing too until Lance joined them with an enormous smile.

Pidge wiped her eyes, nearly wheezing.

"Wha's so funny, huh?" the blue paladin slurred, eyelids heavy and legs as sotrong as jelly, pushing his way into Hunk with both arms arround his torso.

Hunk frowned imnmediately.

"Shit Lance are you even more wasted?" he asked, pushing gently backwards in order to see his friend's face. He seemed to pout, closing his eyes and then laughing. Lance was an affectionate drunk, he had less inhibitions and became more of a touchy feely person. But this was too much. Hunk's mom-friend instinct was shouting. "Did you drink more?"

"Mmmhm 'think so..."

He had started panicking when Pidge came to the rescue. She wasn't laughing anymore; worrisome in the glow of her eyes.

"Want me to get Shiro?" she asked and it seem like the best idea ever.

But Lance whined.

"Nooooo, not Shiro..." he begged, dropping his grasp on Hunk as he faced the readhead. "Shiro's like a dad, y'know?"

Everyone expected him to provide more details on the subject, but that didn't come their way. Lance just reached forward, turning to face Hunk as he grapped an arm around the girl's shoulders, resting his temple -and due to height practically his whole body- on her hair.

"¿A... dad?" Hunk asked, letting out a brethy laugh as he watched Pidge's face contort in a mixture of surprise, awkwardness and mild warmth. She sure wasn't used to that much touching, but still, smiled.

"Yeahh, he'll give me that disapponted look y'know?" whined Lance as he continued to explain "The one that makes you feel like shit?"

The paladin's arguments were strong, but worse was the scenario. They stood on a completely unknown planet, surrounded by aliens, intoxicated with what seemed to be alcohol and Lance could barely carry his own weight. They didn't even know which side effects the over-consumption of this drink could cause. Where they gonna throw up? Maybe their skin turned purple, who could know?

So he gave one of this looks to Pidge; one of which conveyed a clear message. Or so he thought, all in all, he was still drunk. But the girl seemed to catch on his thoughts and spoke.

"Ok, Lance. We won't take you to Shiro, but do you want some water, or something?"

The Cuban boy nodded, humming in content.

In the way over to where Shiro was standing, talking kindly with Allura, Keith and some locals, Hunk had to help Pidge carry Lance's weight, as the paladin had decided to practically launch himself over the girl.

"Pidge, can I ask you somethin'?" Lance mumbled.

She looked up.

"What is it Lance?"

"D'you know why Keith hates me?"

Hunk and Pidge both stopped in their tracks, almost yanking the drunk one backwards from the sudden shock. Looking over to re-examine Lance's words, eyeing the way in which he fiddled with his glove, the yellow paladin shook his head in disbelief.

"I'm sure he doesn't hate you, buddy."

His friend frowned.

"Yeah he does, I just don't know why." Some silence followed and then Lance yawned. "I'm kinda tired can we sit?"

Pidge, having woken up from her thinking trance, guided the way, off to where the party nearly ended. They sat down on a weirdly complicated, over-dercorated, purple bench.

"Do you wanna tell us why you think Keith hates you?" She spoke, softly." Cause we're a team and this kind of things are important..."

Hunk put a hand over Lance's shoulder when he lowered his head, glaring at his feet.

"Fine, but don't tell anyone, 'k?" they both nodded and Lance sighed. "Y'all know m'always making fun of him, right? Well that's all for show. I actually think he's a pretty cool dude. I..." he hesitated "I admire him. But I don't think he knows that I like him. And I don't want him to know but I also don't want him to hate me. 'Cause yeah, 'm a little jelous too. He's like, extra good at everything. And I'm not. But it's fine, 'm getting over it. The point is that... That now he does hate me n' I know it's my fault but..."

Hunk stopped him.

"Now he hates you? Why do you say that?"

Lance lowered his head even more. He resembled a lonely puppy, and even Pidge seemed to be hurting from the rare view.

"It's kinda see-throw, you know? Every time I'm tryna get close to him he bails, or pushes me or somethin'."

Pidge's face contortioned in soft pain, as if being hit with some sort of painful truth.

"And when you said you liked him," Hunk advetured "you ment it as in... friendly like him or..."

Lance, althow drunk, understood the words within seconds. His face, however, portrayed a whole lot of different emotions.

"Well I don't know..." he finally said "I am bi, and he is kinda cute... But it's Keith we're talking 'bout, nothing's ever gonna happen."

Pidge frowned.

"You know he's gay, don't you?" when Lance stared at her in shock, she shuddered "I mean it's kind of obvious."

"Obvious?!" the drunk boy screeched, face suddenly crimson "It... It's not fucking obvious! How could it... How do you know? Ahhhg" he burried his face in his hands. "my face's burning..."

Hunk straight out laughed, earning a death glare form the pouty boy besides him.

"M'sorry mate, but you gotta admit it is kinda funny."

"What is?" he retorted, as embarassed as frustrated.

Hunk flailed his arms in the air as he tried to put his thoughts into words.

"You're right here, with us, asking why Keith could hate you, pining your ass off, yet totally blind to whatever Keith's feelings are. Don't know..." he giggled, eyeing Lance's stunned expression "'S funny."

As the blue paladin begun complaining, being the stuttering mess he was when it came to the subject, Pidge smiled like only she knew. Or perhaps, Hunk thought, as Satan himself had tought her. Oh, she had a plan... And maybe Hunk shouldn't be doing any deal with the devil so soon in his life, but when it come to this... he simply was not able to hold in his curiousity. After all, he loved gossip.

...

While the paladins had all gone for the casual, yet symbolically formal, combat suits, Coran had wanted to embody a little de local tradition of a ceremonial outfit. He had not anticipated, although, the fact that the Skiltreen had, if not two arms, four, and a much wider neck than any Altean could fathom.

So now he stood, in the luckily mirror-equiped restroom, glaring at the two useless wholes in his clothing as if his vision could sue them back closed. Moreover, not only was the cloth revealing part of his sides, but also it was hanging low on one sholder; consecuence of his neck being too thin.

'Quiznacking unexperienced tailors', he thought as he remembered old times... When Alfor and him had visited this planet, being greeted with the most comfortable of clothes and the tastiest of foods. He would sometimes let his mind wonder, embrace the happy memories he still kept as if little time had passed.

However, sadness came as a combo; unwanted melancholy in times of war. He could not afford being gloomy, he needed to stay strong, for Allura, for the rest of the team. But right now, at a party, being as reluctant as he was to come out of the bathroom wearing such revealing outfit, he didn't need to be strong for anyone. Hence, when he heard Shiro's disappointed/scolding voice heading in his direction, well... let's say it wasn't the most honorable thing to do, but he hid in one of the booths.

"...you knew about this and didn't tell me? Look at him Keith, he's wasted!"

Keith's voice wavered in guilt as they both entered the public toilet.

"He wasn't like this when I last saw him! I... I know I should have told you but-"

"Hunk's also having some trouble by the way." Shiro cut him, intonation strict "Got Pidge taking care of him."

"Mmh'yeah how's Hunk?" another voice echoed through the room, Coran barely recognizing it as a very intoxicated Lance. "'Cause i really feel like barfing lol."

The hidden man sensed that a comment like that had the abilities to cut through any kind of tension the air holded, and immediately remembered why he had become so fond of the blue paladin. When he wanted, he could truly be comic relief... And comicity, to Coran's way of thinking, was one of the most needed goods in times like these. Having the ability to shadow some of your own concerns in order to cheer up a team, inbetween other things, was what made a good hero.

They apparently guided Lance into another compartment and Coran rose his feet to avoid being spotted.

"Actually, I'm going to check up on Hunk right now, ok?" Shiro stated, clearly still angry. "Take care of Lance for a while, we'll continue this talk later."

Keith, seemingly abashed, simply said 'yes', and as soon as Shiro was gone, Lance had started vomiting. The situation lasted less than Coran had expected, nearly 20 doboshes. So when the blue paladin had been asked several times if he felt better, was when his voice finally got heard.

"Yeah... think 'm fine."

Keith sighed.

"Good lord that was disgusting."

"Mmh, tell me."

They chuckled.

"My mouth tastes of guts" Lance then whined "I wanna brush my teeeth..."

"Don't think they have toothbrushs here, Lance. Or toothpaste."

The booth door oppened with a soft sliding noice and water begun running. There was silence for a bit. Coran guessed Lance might be washing his mouth or face. But then the blue paladin sighed.

"'M tired."

"Do you wanna go sit somewhere? Or stay here maybe?"

Coran mentally cursed. They wanted to stay here?! For the rest of the night? He couldn't just wait the night out inside this public restroom booth! Althow he wasn't really planning on getting out of the bathroom anytime soon... he still sighed when Lance talked.

"No, I'd better... sit." he seemed embarassed "But can you help me walk? It's all kinda... still spinning."

"Yeah, sure, no problem buddy."

"Thanks..."

\---

Ok. This was... actually this was not bad at all. Quite the opposite, Keith thought. Because it sure had been disgusting, watching Lance vomit. But right now, as they sat on that same bench near the pond, Keith's side was warm and full of Lance.

The boy's scent hit his nose and all he could do was breath in calmly. He smelled of soap, mixed with slight alcohol and weirdly lacking vomit. Having sat down, the arm that surrounded Keith's neck should have been pulled away. It wasn't. Keith should have said something. He didn't. He didn't dare speak, actually, fearing to scare the moment away.

He shifted a little in order to appreciate the drunk one's profile; smooth, dark-ish skin that welcomed the eye. Lance had been staring at the sky with intensity, glowing blue eyes meeting thousand of stars. But Keith was caught red-handed and, being unable to tear his eyes away, caused them to share a silenced look.

The pale one remembred how hurt those eyes had seemed when rejected and felt the knot in his stomach grow stronger. He never wanted to see such pain in Lance's expression again, and even less be the one causing it. So he once more shifted, quietly, and adventured a simple touch, disguised as drawing a stranded lock of hair out of Lance's cheek. The response was probably enhanced by the many drinks that led them there, but Lance seemed to enjoy the attention, closing his eyes and nearly melting under his fingers.

Keith inhaled shakily. This was dangerous. Curiousity, mixed with a certain magnet-like tension the air had built, drew his hand back in. He traced Lance's hairline, caressing the skin underneath so lightly that it should almost feel like nothing. The sleepy one, however, hummed in mild pleasure, eyes still closed.

The moment suddenly ended when Keith heard some sort of alien laughter at the party. Snapping back into reality, his hand backed off as if being too close to the fire. Lance seemed to sense his distress and opened his eyes, blinking slowly, slightly surprised.

The next few seconds entailed a lot of different Lance expressions, muffled by sleepiness but still there. He opened his mouth and closed it again, frowned, and even moved his arm a little, the one that still rested behind Keith's shoulders.

It was when he spoke, so soft that it resembled a breath, at the same time his other arm shifted to hug him closer, that Keith shivered in surprise.

"Please don't hate me Keith."

The red paladin lived up to the color in his armour when his cheecks flushed hot, merely because of how Lance's breath hit the crook of his neck.

But then he frowned.

"I... I don't hate you Lance."

All he was left with, however, were soft snores, a sleepy hug and whole lot of questions in mind.

...

Pidge felt happiness and laughter bobble up her chest at the same time. Keith's face was utterly hilarous, revealing not only the existential crisis he was having but also his poor understanding on the situation. Lance sleept contently, both arms surrrounding his victim, resembling a drunk, happy koala.

The scene was hysterical in it's whole.

Hunk agreeded with a giggle and a gigantic smile.

"I mean... you looked after of him, didn't you?" Pidge whisper-laughed when they got to their fellow paladins.

Keith huffed.

"A little help would be appreciated."

Hunk smiled.

"Want me to carry him?"

A small, silenced frown covered Keith's face in sudden realization.

"Weren't you drunk too?" Keith questioned and Hunk nerviously chuckled.

"I mean, I still am. Not as bad as him though."

"That's... weird. Shiro said you were having a bad time..."

Pidge sensed the red paladin was coming to understand their masterplan and decided to interfere.

"Shh, I think he's waking up."

Both Hunk and Keith suddenly stopped talking, worriedly looking over to the drunk sleeping beauty.

"I'll carry him back to the castle, don't worry, Keith." Suggested Hunk when it was made clear -by the snoring- that Lance was far from waking up. "You can stay here, with Shiro and the guys, having fun and all..."

Pidge internally smirked when Keith's face contorted in reluctance at the mere mention of Shiro. The scolding had worked. Everyone seemed to have taken the role seriously. Even Hunk, who often had prejucie against lying and deceiving, was making a marvellous job.

"But you never finished the story Hunk!" Pidge complained and the big one frowned. "You know, the one with the strawberries!"

"Oh... yeah, that story... 'M sorry Pidge, you're gonna have to hear it later..."

"I can carry him."

Her inner smirk grew to the point where it was physically hurting to hide it.

"What?"

Keith continued.

"I mean... I can carry Lance back to the castle, it's no big deal, you can... finish your story and all."

Hunk frowned.

"You sure buddy? I don't mind taking him."

"Yeah, I'm sure, I don't really enjoy parties that much anyway."

"Oh, ok... um, good luck then" he giggled.

Pidge rolled her eyes.

"We'll tell Allura you went back to sleep and catch you later tonight, yeah?" she casually added and Keith assented.

"Yeah sure."

"See ya" she smiled and turned arround with Hunk by her side.

"Bye Keith" the yellow paladin waved, the other boy's answer lost when they came upon a crowd.

A few steps ahead Hunk smiled as the proud accomplice he was.

"That went well." Pidge commented, serious enough.

They shared a look and simultaneously snorted.

"That went well" Hunk agreeded.

...

The sliding noise announced the path was clear and Keith cheered, mentally thanking past Lance for not locking his bedroom door. The one in the present, moreover, was clinging to him so eargerly that it made the carrying part strangely comfortable.

Hot. Lance was hot. In the... literal meaning of the word. With both arms sorrounding Keith's neck, and face hidden into his shoulder, all the red paladin could feel was Lance's warmth; his breath hitting his skin and scent filling his lungs; fingers unintentionally ghosting his nape but still sending shivers down his spine.

He entered the boy's quarters and took in the view. Lance had cleraly made some personalizations to his room. Well, Keith hadn't expected less, but seeing how organized yet homey the room felt made him a little jealous.

On the right wall stood the bed, meticulously made, with what seemed to be earphones resting on the pillow. Somehow hanging from the right wall was a white and blue robe, acompanied by the blue lion slippers. On his desk were many different kinds of rocks, all weird and not earthly-like, probably collected from the planets they visited. And last but not least... Lance's beauty products; multiple weird-shaped bottles, shining purple, green and light blue.

Keith snorted.

Lance could sometomes be so ridiculous. Or, compared to Keith's priorities list, he would worry about unimportant stuff. He was already so... pretty, why would he even need any of those things? Why... worry so much?

Whatever Lance's reasons were, anyway, it was undeniable that his skin did look smooth. Even flawless. Keith wanted to touch it; to trace his fingers down his cheeks and neck, to caress his collarbone and shoulders and keep going downhill. Lance had always seemed... attractive to Keith. On multiple ways. Whether it was the way he smiled or, more feverishly, the way in which his back flexed whenever he turned arround in the changing room.

Keith had been aware for a time now that regarding his sexuality, girls were out of the picture. So feeling this kind of things towards a guy his age would be understandable. Despite that, when it came to Lance being that guy, it all just felt like a joke. Mainly because when they first were launched into the void of space, Lance was obnoxious, loud, egocentric and did no more than get on his nerves. Keith simply couldn't understand where that need for drama came from; it seemed like all he ever wanted to do was argue. He even crafted a rivalry out of the blue and spent his time wanting to prove himself over Keith at all costs.

However, regarding these... feelings, he never got to see them fade. Somehow, after being practically bothered to death, Keith still sensed that... sparkle, that little shift inside him whenever he caught Lance eyeing him, or that twist in his guts whenever he laughed.

Coming to terms with the fact that maybe... just maybe, he found the paladin... a little more than attractive, was made even harder as time flew by. Getting to know Lance, the real Lance, the one with an incredible sense of team-work and selflessness; the homesick, funny Cuban boy, complicated things.

It was not just a mild attraction anymore, it grew strong and stable, it became routinary. Sometimes soft, sometimes heated, but always there. It was mostly manageable, anyway, he was never much of a daydreamer himself. However, the word 'mostly' speaks for itself. There was this one exception, the definite worst thing in this whole situation, the one guilty pleasure Keith could not help but flutter under, and those were Lance's lips.

Oh dear god, the many times he had wondered how it would feel to just brush them against his, feeling the gentle softness of Lance's hair in between his touch. But, more frequently, he just wanted to smash both of their mouths together violently, bodies flushed close in a mixture of warm breaths, kissing the words out of his lungs.

This was utterly infurating, and no matter how 'in control of the situation' Keith claimed he was, in the end, he sure was fucked.

He should have known sooner, anyway. Should have predicted how hard he would fall. Whether it was to avoid moments like this, or to cherish them. Because he'd be lying if he didn't acknowledge how much time he had wasted standing, still, with Lance lifted between his arms, face resting on the croock of his neck.

It was starting to hurt a little now, muscles contracting efortlessly but for a prolonged amount of time.

He sighed, walking towards the bed, and slowly laid the drunk one atop the matress. Lance's arms left his shoulders due to gravity, and Keith had never felt emptier, colder. He moved the earphones away and the boy's face hit the pillow with a soft puff.

He forced some discipline into himself as he took off some of the most uncomfortable parts of Lance's armour with utmost care. The legs were probably the most difficult part, as they were long, lanky and most likely to kick him if he startled the boy awake. Keith ushered himself to concentrate on that -on not waking the boy up- rather than focusing on the fact that he was touching, more literally than he had ever, Lance's whole body.

The accomplishment should probably be accredited to Lance's overdrinking, but Keith still felt proud of his job when all remaining bits of armour were off, and the boy still sleeped.

He may have admired his work more than necessary.

Then he swallowed.

The under-armour was not exactly thin, however, it sure was tight.

His eyes wondered back to Lance's face and he sighed. Hate him? How could Keith hate him? He sure didn't know how to string along with the paladin's extreme sociability, nor could he dance, or understand some of his jokes, but that didn't mean he hated him.

Keith stepped towards the side of the bed as silence took over his mind, impulse burning on his veins and throat.

The kissing thing? He had never felt it as strong as right now, in the darkness of Lance's room, intimate, alluring. He kneeled besides him, inevitably brushing his hair out of his face. He also couldn't help but lean in, imposibly close, thumb ghosting Lance's cheek, breath fanning over the boy's pink lips. And softly, as gently as he could, he pressed a slight sort-of-kiss to the one mouth he that much craved. It lasted nothing.

Leaning back, heart bumping practically off his chest, he was relieved -to not say dissaponted- to find Lance unfazed, still sleeping calmly.

Standing on his feet, he forced himself to avoid the sudden burst of thoughts, excuses, that bombarded his mind. He... He needed to get out of there, not stay, no matter how good Lance looked on his under-suit, or how much cold he could have through the night, or how much Keith wanted to just slither into bed with him and cuddle.

So he stepped outside, face still burning, hand on his chest, breath hitched, and stumbled to his room.

What had he been thinking?

Once his room door was open, and the smell of Lance had been left behind, he threw himself on the bed and screamed into the pillow.

That escalated fucking quickly.

...

Morning came with a lot of pain.

Lance's head thudded hurtingly, throat dry and body aching. He slowly opened his eyes, relieved by the darkness, as the windows depicted no more light than the one from the stars so far away.

Getting up was a highly premedited yet almost impossible doing. Not only had he missed his beauty sleep, but also the hungover seemed to be slowly killing him, so who could expect him to try and be active?

Apparently his stomach did. It growled as an angry Galra.

Not that Keith growled when he was angry. Lance would know.

This stranded thought made the image of Keith at the party last night pop once more into his head. Somehow, he had looked prettier than usual. It exhasperated Lance, the way in wich the red paladin was efortlessly beautiful, yet seemengly clueless of this particular fact. He wanted to punch him. Or kiss him. Or maybe both.

He tried recapitulating every decision made at the thanking party the Skiltreen had thrown them, but his memory resembled a blur. Some isolated moments came to mind without context whatsoever; for instance him, practically launched over Pidge, telling Hunk that Shiro 'was like a dad'. Or Keith, sitting alone on a bench, and him turning to Pidge to ask if the red paladin had been having fun.

Some different kind of conversations crossed his mind too, and a small alarm blared inside his head. He must be recalling it wrong; but he could clearly hear Pidge say Keith was... gay. That whole conversation came back as he thought of it and his ears burned. 'I admire him' 'Well, I am bi, and he is kinda cute...'.

Could someone just come into his room, without any words, and slither him in half? Death seemed like such a pleasing relief right now. Hunk and Pidge would never let that go.

He then can clearly recall vomiting. Keith was there, he said there weren't any toothbrushs. They also sat down on a bench, he remembers the purple bench quite clearly, and... that's kind of it. Maybe a hug, probably a hug coming from his own drunk self, but that's all he can think of.

His stomach insisted once more on being fed, so he was forced to sit up. He didn't remember getting to the ship at all, neither taking off his combat suit or laying on the bed.

He fixed his hair a little, washed his teeth and got changed, preparing to launch himself into the unknown. In other words, breakfast.

...

Shiro had to fight down a laugh throughout the whole morning. Weirdly enough, the first one to wake up had been him, quickly followed by Allura and then Coran.

Anecdotes then began flowing. Not everyday did the Voltron team have such an eventful partying night.

It was when Coran started off his unbelievable -as in highly unlikely to be true- story, that Hunk showed up, Pidge quickly following.

The girl greeted everyone just before approaching Shiro with a smug look, leaning on the kitchen counter and asking:

"Is Keith awake?"

Shiro shook his head.

"Keith and Lance are still sleeping."

"Together?" she teased and the black paladin snorted.

"I just hope they're safe, you know?"

Pidge chuckled and left to make herself some breakfast goo. However, just before leaving the counterset she smiled and muttered to herself something that sounded like:

"Shiro's like a dad..."

The supposedly grown man assumed, after having given it quite a lot of thought, that he simply misunderstood the girl's speaking. Mostly to continue living peacefully.

For all that, it was when Keith entered the room that not only Pidge, but also Hunk pricked their ears up. Shiro had to seriously restrain his laughing. He knew Keith, and the fact that he slightly seemed to be embarassed already said a lot. Something had happened last night. Therefore, his obligation as team leader was to find out what.

The new addition to breakfast greeted everyone shortly and proceeded to fill a plate with goo.

"How did you sleep, Keith?" Shiro had to ask.

Keith flinched at the sound of his voice. Right, he had forgotten he was pretending to be mad.

"I heard you went to bed early to get Lance to sleep." He added. "Thanks for that."

Keith nodded cautiously.

"Yeah, it's no big deal, I was getting bored at the party anyway."

Both Hunk and Pidge were noticeably paying more attention to their conversation than to Coran's never-ending story. So when Pidge got up and approached them it wasn't much of a surprise to Shiro.

"So Lance wasn't much of a pain in the ass, then?" She asked, dead serious.

Keith didn't get the joke. Thank God Keith didn't get the joke. Shiro did. He did wonders not to laugh, too. Coughing into his alien coffe, his amusement went unnoticed.

"No, he didn't even wake up." Keith shrudded "He hadn't locked his bedroom door, so I just left him there."

Something in the story was a little off, so many details lacking... Anyways, Keith didn't seem to be lying.

"Oh, ok, I'm glad you didn't..."

His words were cut off by the one and only missing piece of the team. Lance entered the room as only he could; stunningly.

"I'm alive, ok?" He shouted, waving his arms in the air. Hunk nearly chocked in his food from the jumpscare and Pidge instantly started laughing.

"I'm glad you are..." Allura sipped her coffe "So now I can kill you myself!" She added before standing up.

"N-n-no Princess, don't hurt me, please!" Lance backed off and the rest of the team chuckled.

"Don't you dare do that again Lance! You ended up literally passing out in Keith's arms after having vomited! I honestly can't believe a Paladin of Voltron..."

While Allura continued with her speech, Lance's small blush went convinenly unnoticed when Hunk opened his eyes wildly, as if coming to awareness. Even the princess cut her speaking to eye him curiously.

"Pidge, Pidge, oh my god" he suddenly exclaimed. "Allura's like a mom, Pidge! She's the mom, and Coran's the weird uncle..."

No one but Pidge and Hunk showed any signs of understanding, however, the joke seemed to have been hilarious as both paladins exploded into hysterical laughter. Maybe Lance knew too, as he huffed a laugh while the redness covering his cheeks grew.

"I hate you guys..." he chuckled, scratching his nape, and Shiro noticed Keith choking on the background. The red paladin coughed, clearly not having been able to swallow his food correctly.

Or maybe...

Shiro was able to see, with lack of awe, they way in which Keith tried, both at a time, to go unnoticed by the team and eye Lance with extreme concentration. He nearly even missed the spoon directed to his mouth by his own hand, and Shiro was lucky not to snort.

This slightly out-of-the-norm behaviour had to mean something.

Shiro had, since the beginning of breakfast, the hunch that something had happened last night, yet Lance acted normal, unaware.

He hummed. This had to be dealt with somehow.

...

Allura sighed when everyone else left the breakfast room except for herself and Shiro. She got up from the table, approaching the counterset, and spoke.

"Shiro, would you care explaining some of the recent events to me?" She fiddled with her hair "It feels as if I missed some things."

Shiro sighed too, yet a smile crossed his expression.

"I wish I knew everything that happened last night, so I could explain it better to you, princess." He paused, sipping his coffe.

"Oh, it's fine, Mr. Black paladin," she got even closer and reached for his arm, slowly caressing it. "You don't need to use words."

Shiro snorted.

"We're ridiculous" he smiled, making Allura giggle. "Plus we shouldn't be doing this here. Anyone could come in."

She nodded, reluctantly stepping back. However, the paladin seemed to regret his last statement and got closer himself.

"I mean, I still stand by what I said yesterday." Allura felt warmth in her chest, accompanied by tingles on her shoulder, where Shiro's hand rested. "I know you've gone through a lot, and I... can't stand seeing you so alone." He paused "besides Coran, I mean."

The princess' smile was heartfelt.

"I could say the same to you, Shiro. You know that."

He half-smiled; tired and hurting, but still strong and somehow happy. She wanted Shiro to be truly, endlessly happy.

"So yes, I also stand by what I said yesterday." She continued. "And I mean... no-one is watching..."

Shiro chuckled, but still reached for her nape and brought their lips together. The kiss was soothing, calm and overall heartwarming. She felt as if this represented the beginning of something exiting and new. Something a little childish and out of context, but completely meaningful.

It was all wonderful until they parted.

Watching with owl eyes, speachless and mouth dropping open, Hunk stood in the kitchen's doorframe.

"Oh... my... god..." He whispered.

Allura was out of it. Unable to respond. Shiro had to let her go in order to try and stop Hunk from telling everyone else, but it seemed to be too late, as the big one run out of the room hurriedly.

"Quiznack" Shiro cursed. "It's gonna spread like wildfire."

...

"Y'know, Keith really did help a lot last night. With the whole, drunk-you situation, I mean."

Lance gave Pidge a peep. She had been strangely quiet as they battled on the game console they bought alongside Kaltenecker.

"He did?"

Pidge hummed, knoking him over on the game. He rushed to pick his character up to avoid getting smashed to death, but it was late already. The evil readhed was too good a player.

"Oh fuck off, Pidgeon!" He complained, happily changing the subject, given her win. "That's not fair!"

"Get rekt" she smirked, adjusting her glasses slightly.

There was a little bit of silence.

"You should thank him" Pidge finally added, smiling with what resembled pity. "Keith."

As Lance continued to be quiet, she went on.

"You were wasted, and could barely stand your feet, but Keith never complained, he even volunteered to get you to bed, and-"

"H-He what?" Lance cut her off. Warmth climbed up his cheeks with little subtleness.

"He was the one to carry you back to the castle." Her malevolent little smile grew wider. "You don't remember?"

Lance breathed in and out. Keith, of all people, had been the one to tuck him in bed? Like he carried him, took his clothes off... and he even volunteered to do so?

Lance then felt his stomach flinch with slight regret; he hated not remembering yet another one of this 'bonding moments' they usually shared. However, the blush on his cheeks spoke for itself, the thing he most hated was not having been awake. Not experiencing Keith's gentle touch, warm and careful. Not breathing the scent of his neck as his strong arms carried him...

He snapped out of it and sighed.

Pidge smiled once more.

"You said some things last night..." and when Lance flinched she chuckled. "D'you remember?"

He nodded.

"I remember the whole bench conversation, and the... 'Shiro's like a dad' situation." He air quoted.

Pidge snorted.

"That's pure gold."

"But nothing else." He added "I don't really remeber Keith bringing me here and all."

She hummed.

"And do you... like Keith?"

Lance jumped, this was sort of a taboo topic even in the conversations he shared with his pillow.

"I'm... not really sure."

"I won't tell, I promise." Pidge smiled.

Lance then realized he could trust the girl, not only with his life, which had already been proven, but also with his secrets.

"I think I might." he sighed "Like Keith."

...

Breakfast went by pretty easy. Keith knew for sure Lance was nowhere near finding out what had happened last night. Mostly because he'd had no witnesses, not to mention the fact that Lance didn't even act different from usual. Didn't even look at him.

He sighed, eyeing the knife at his hands once again. However, he couldn't even admire it for two seconds, as he heard a knock on his door.

He got up, a little startled, and spoke.

"Come in"

The door slid open and his stomach turned violently. Lance.

"Um... hi, Keith" the paladin said, scratching his nape, with eyes fixed on his.

Keith ushered his heart to take it slower, mouth switching to autopilot.

"Lance... uh, come in."

The seemingly nervious one took a few steps forward and stood awkwardly in front of him. Keith was blank. Unable to process anything else than pure stress. Could it be that he knew about the kiss?

Lance then spoke.

"I just came to say... uh... Thank you."

A mixture of relief and even further confusion crossed Keith's mind.

"Why?"

Lance then apeared to be unlocked; his speach flowing wild and hurried.

"Because... you know, you carried me up here last night, and acording to Pidge I clinged to you like a koala... Also the vomiting... Sorry about that" he anxiously chuckled. "It must have been horrible, and thanks also for tucking me in bed, althow i don't really remember any of it, and..."

Keith had a hard time understanding whether he should cry, laugh or both at a time. Althow he decided to cut Lance's verbal barfing first.

"Lance" he half-smiled. "It's fine, it wasn't that bad."

The other boy exhaled, his shoulders relaxing instantly.

"Thank god."

There was silence for a bit. Keith didn't know what to say, or even where to look at. He simply wanted to kiss Lance. Craved it. Instead, he decided he should ask.

"Do you wanna, um... sit?" He signaled his bed.

Lance looked taken aback for a split second, but still nodded. When they both rested on top of his mattress, Keith turned to face the tanned boy and spoke.

"Yesterday, at the party... just before you went to sleep, you said something." Lance was now curious. "You said I hated you. Or something like that."

This caused an unexpected reaction. Instant embarrassment. He swore he could see regret in Lance's expression. But before he could answer anything, Keith decided he wanted to continue speaking.

"I just wanted to say that I get it, why you could think I hate you or something, I get it. I'm awkward all the time, and blunt and just... rude. I dont mean to, but I am. And honestly, with you, it's way easier, to speak. Even if it's just arguing. It's easy." he breathed in and out. "I don't hate you Lance, I even... I consider you a friend."

He finally looked up and his breath hitched. Lance smiled broadly, and the way in which this gesture lit his face made Keith feel dizzy.

"I'm... yeah, I know you do." He responded. Was he blushing? Keith craved death. "I do too. Consider you a friend, I mean. It's not... I don't really think you hate me or anything. I guess yeah, sometimes you're... a little pushy, you know? And it doesn't help my... I mean, I'm not..."

Lance sighed, Keith couldn't figure out if it was worry or tiredness what his face depicted, yet he felt ice on his chest.

"You're not...?" Keith spoke, slowly. He wanted Lance to continue talking, to know he could trust him with anything.

"I know I look like I'm confident all the time, all flirty and self-assured..." the blue paladin went on, sounding defeated. "But I sometimes feel like I have to be... better to catch up with you. Or Shiro, or anyone on the team, really." Keith wanted to stop him but he continued "I'm just... Lance, and I get that you're all just stuck in space with me, it's not like you asked for it, so if I'm too annoying or..."

Keith couldn't believe his ears.

"Lance... stop." He begged. "What are you even talking about?"

The one with the blue eyes sighed, frustration in the edge of his tone.

"I mean that I get it. I get that I can sometimes be annoying and even useless and it's fine, I'm... fine. With that." He finally eyed Keith and chuckled. The sound came out harsh and forced, bitter even. "You probably have better things to do than listen to me whine, so yeah, maybe I should..."

But before he stood up Keith caught his forearm. It was made clear that Lance wasn't going anywhere.

"You're not... useless, Lance." He said. "What even? You're part of Voltron and that alone make you as important as everyone on the team. You don't have to... one up me or anyone else; you're Lance, and that's fine, it's... more than enough."

There was a pause. Keith had gotten unintentionally closer to the blue paladin, still gripping his forearm tightly. Realizing this, he let go of him, but didn't pull away. Lance's face, at that, was unreadable. The next time Keith talked, however, he did gentler.

"Also, annoying?" He chuckled. "If it hadn't been for you and your constant banter, the team would have never been able to work together."

Lance was uncharacteristically quiet. Speachless in the saddest of ways. So, as this didn't seem to be enough for Lance to believe him, Keith tried searching his brain for better words. He found them on his heart insted.

"What I'm saying is that... you're funny, and caring and selfless. And I'm sorry, if I ever push you away. I'm just not good at... talking and all that shit. But you make it so much easier, for me and everyone on the team. You're like... the one that brought us all together, and I don't know why you would even think..."

Lance's eyes gradually cut his speech until it faded completely. He'd gotten even closer. Quiet. Powerful. No sooner did he gaze at Keith's lips, it all went crazy under his skin.

Was he...?

When Lance kissed him he saw stars. Simple but ground-breaking, the peck made his spine shiver. The hand that cupped his jaw was hot and cold and burning all at a time. When Lance pulled away, hurried, Keith felt as if his lungs were robbed from him.

"I-I'm... sorry..." the other boy anxiously spoke "I just couldn't help but..."

Keith needed air, so he grabbed the fuck out of Lance's jacket and pulled him close once more. This time, both of them corresponded, hurried but gentle. And Keith saw the whole universe behind his eyelids.

...

Hunk ran through one of the castle's halls, and given his excitement, it was weird he hadn't found anyone yet. Pidge wasn't in her room, and neither was Lance.

He nearly even curses when he found an empty living room; as deserted as their chilling area. Having the gossip in the tip of his tonge, itching to be told, he decided he'd try on Keith's quarters.

The door, being unlocked, opened as soon as he approached, but any words he was about to say were cought on his throat.

He gasped once again at the two couple of wide eyes that scarily gazed.

"Oh. my. GOD!"

**Author's Note:**

> I'm aware that the part in Keiths room is similar to the Klance Bedroom Scene(tm), I just really loved it.
> 
> Ps: Hunk is shook


End file.
